Catching up with the national political news

Truth is funnier than fiction – A Rhode Island Republican State Rep. joked about Democrats catering to pot smoking gay Guatemalan gamblers some time back. On Good Friday he was busted for DUI and marijuana possession.

….

The Republicans’ plan to privatize MediCare is getting some backlash at town hall meetings. Not quite as much screaming and hysteria as the anti-health care reform crowds a couple of years ago, but firm enough to be rattling GOP nerves. Rep. Sean Duffy wigs out a little here when members of the crowd don’t respond well to his charts.

TPM has a summary of the public relations debacle for the law firm of King & Spalding leading to the resignation of partner and former Bush Solicitor General Paul Clement who had undertaken the defense of DOMA, and had forbidden firm employees from publicly advocating gay rights – even on their own time. After some public pressure, the firm nixed their involvement in the case and Clement went on to join Bancroft, LLP — “a boutique firm made up of former Bush administration lawyers” — who will take on the case.

As someone who has faced political pressures in my own legal practice (sometimes due to something posted on this blog), I am not entirely sanguine about the precedent of a firm being politically pressured to drop a client. On the other hand, it does really underscore the deep shift in the political climate with regard to gay rights. Will Clements be the Lyman Norris of the 21st century?

There is no comparison. Bradley Manning is charged with serious crimes. Most people do not begrudge someone like that good representation even if he was guilty. I would not protest a law firm defending a neo-nazi charged with a hate crime as long as the representation was not ideologically based. But to take up a dying cause for bigotry to promote political gain is an action which is a legitimate political target.